Conventional pads with cushioning material, e.g., foam rubber, overtime, suffer from the disadvantage of permanent compression, the deterioration of the cushioning material and the resultant loss of effective resiliency. The present invention overcomes these shortcomings by describing a novel pad which includes a gel-encapsulating insert member which provides shock attenuation.
Consequently, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved, attenuating pad which will comfortably provide cushioning and which overcomes the deficiencies and disadvantages associated with prior art pads.
More specific objects of the present invention are as follows:
1. To provide an improved pad construction which has an enhanced capacity for shock absorption, and which distributes forces imposed upon the structure more uniformly and comfortably. PA1 2. To provide an improved pad construction which has a unique adaptive capacity. PA1 3. To provide an improved pad construction which expands the load-bearing area of the structure, so as to reduce pin point loading. PA1 4. To provide an improved pad construction which forms a dynamic, self-contouring, load-supporting surface which automatically and instantly shapes and contours itself. PA1 5. To provide an improved pad construction which absorbs localized forces and re-distributes these forces away from the localized area and absorbs them throughout the fluid system. PA1 6. To provide an improved pad construction which protects the shoulder, clavicle, breasts, arms, hands, and circulatory system of the user from damaging shock forces. PA1 7. To provide an improved pad construction which is capable of bearing both compression and shear forces. PA1 8. To provide an improved pad construction wherein the fluid system is comprised of a multiplicity of members. PA1 9. To provide an improved pad construction which provides essentially permanent, unchanging beneficial characteristics to the user throughout the life of the structure to which the pad is attached.
This invention possesses many other advantages, and has other objects which may be made more clearly apparent from a consideration of several forms in which it may be embodied. Such forms are shown in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the present specification. These forms will now be described in detail for the purpose of illustrating the general principles of the invention; but it is to be understood that such detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense.